THE SPRING ISSUE

Last Word: Jeong Mee Yoon

South Korea-born photographer, Jeong Mee Yoon, visually explores critiques on society that are often talked about but rarely viewed in the concentrated way that she presents them. After receiving her bfa in painting from Seoul National University, South Korea in 1992, and her mfa in Photographic Design from South Korea’s Hong-Ik University in 1999, Jeong Mee now splits her time between her native homeland and New York to further her passion for photography. She has taken on a project, aptly titled “The Pink & Blue Project,” that involves the way in which societies worldwide raise children with the universal color palette of pink for girls and blue for boys. While this is a common occurrence, it really isn’t until you see a photograph of a young girl surrounded by all her pink belongings: toys, clothes, books, that you realize the distinct relationship between mass media and children that subconsciously trains them to be drawn to certain items. And after 9/11, Jeong Mee took to the streets to showcase the newfound obsession with patriotism that Americans were exhibiting via American flag overload in her series of photographs, “The Stars & Stripes.” Next year, Jeong Mee’s work will be on display at the SF International Airport. SOMA recently caught up with the artist to ask: What is your biggest artistic obsession? —Ashley Brewster